


After The Shot

by Claire Elizabeth Fletcher (I_Am_Not_Even_Sorry)



Series: Magnus and Maria [6]
Category: Magnus Martinsson - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 11:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Am_Not_Even_Sorry/pseuds/Claire%20Elizabeth%20Fletcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please note that this story contains spoilers for the Wallander episode 'One Step Behind'.  If you have not read the book or seen the episode please do not read.</p>
    </blockquote>





	After The Shot

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this story contains spoilers for the Wallander episode 'One Step Behind'. If you have not read the book or seen the episode please do not read.

Magnus sat in the car outside his home. He had no memory of driving there, no memory of anything after he pulled the trigger and saw him fall backwards and Kurt grab Linda. His mouth tasted horrible, he must have vomited. He looked down at his coat and saw a wet stain near one of the buttons, he smelled the sour smell of his own sick. There were wet tear tracks on his cheeks, only he had no memory of crying them. He sat holding onto the steering wheel, his knuckles white, all the tension in his body focused on the wheel. He could feel his jaw ache from being clenched and he wondered if he should have gone back to the station. He couldn’t seem to think. He didn’t hear her car pull up behind his, he didn’t hear her walk up to the window of his car.

 

“Magnus?” she asked as she placed her hand on the glass. He turned to her slowly and she saw there was something terribly wrong. “Magnus, what is it?” she said franticly, as she tried to open the door. It was locked. She put both of her hands on the glass and said his name again, leaning close. “Open the door Magnus.” He moved in slow motion, first looking down at the lock on the door and not registering how to open it. “Just open the door, use the handle, Magnus, unlock the door!” she yelled. He fumbled with the door handle and the door clicked open. Maria grabbed the handle as soon as she heard the lock click and threw open the door. She knelt down next to him and rested her hand on his thigh. The sickening smell of vomit filled her nostrils and she had to close her eyes and open her mouth so that she didn’t get sick herself. He was looking straight ahead, his hands still firmly grasping the wheel. She reached up and caressed his hand and saw it loosen. She pried the fingers of his left hand off the wheel and took it in her hand. “Sweetheart, let’s go inside,” she said to him almost pleading. She reached around him and unhooked the safety belt, brushing her hand against the wet stain on his coat, as he swung his long legs out of the car. She tried not to make a sound feeling the vomit on her hand, she quickly wiped it on her pant leg. “Do you have anything you need me to grab from the car?” She asked him. He shook his head no. 

 

She took both of his hands and moved him around the car as she closed the door with her leg. When they got around the car she put his arm around her shoulder so that he could lean on her and she wrapped her arm around his waist. As they walked to the door, she fished in her purse for her keys. He looked pale and sick and he was leaning a lot of his weight on her. Just as they got to the door she heard him make a sound like he was going to be sick again. “Hold on, hold on,” she said as she hurried him over to the bushes to the side of the door. She still hadn’t found her keys in her purse. He leaned over, his arm still around her shoulder, and threw up into the bushes. He wretched violently 6 or 7 times. It was frightening to see him so sick, he was so strong and tall, and he was now reduced to a stooped figure being held up by a small woman. He felt her rub his back as he wretched, he was glad she was there. He wiped at his mouth as she found her keys and opened the door. When they got inside she walked him into the kitchen and striped off his coat. She threw it on the floor and sat him down in a chair. When she turned to get him a glass of water he caught her hand and kept her from moving. “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” she said to him as he looked in her eyes. She walked to him and stood between his legs, allowing him to wrap his long arms around her body, resting his head on her torso, her wrapping her arms around his head, holding him close to her. She brushed her hand through his hair, and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. 

 

She knew something had happened, she knew he had been to Kurt’s house, but no one would tell her anymore. To be fair, she had rushed out of the station so quickly after she had heard that he wasn’t coming back there, she may have missed some information there. “Do you want a glass of water?” she asked him while stroking his hair. She waited for him to answer.  
“Yes,” he said his voice horse and rough, caught in his throat. She kissed his head again and pulled away from him to get a glass. He leaned down and rested his arms on his thighs, letting his head fall low to his knees. She came back to him and set the glass on the table and sat down in the chair next to him. She rubbed his back and waited for him.

 

“I shot him, he was going to kill Linda,” he said not looking at Maria. Maria’s heart raced hearing what he had done. “He didn’t think I would, you could see it in his eyes. He thought he would be the one to shoot first. Oh god, Linda was looking at me, the terror in her eyes…” and he slumped forward. Maria caught him and she heard him make a noise like he was going to be sick.  
“Bathroom Magnus!” she blurted out as he got up from the chair and ran into the hall bathroom. She followed behind him and stood in the hallway while she listened to him retching into the toilet. She stayed out of sight, to the side of the door, her arms crossed over her chest, her hand in front of her mouth. She wanted to give him some privacy, she didn’t want to hover. That, and the smell of vomit made her sick to her stomach. She wondered to herself how she was ever going to have children if she couldn’t stand the smell of vomit. “Are you ok, do you need my help?” she called in to the bathroom from the hallway.  
“No, no,” she heard him mumble quietly. She walked to the linen closet and grabbed a towel. When she got back to the bathroom door, he was sitting on the bathmat in front of the toilet. She walked in and ran some warm water and dampened the towel.  
“Is Linda alright?” she asked quietly. She walked to him and sat down next to him, sitting on her legs. She used the towel to wipe his face. He leaned into her hand in the warm towel.  
“She will be alright, she was frightened, but not physically hurt,” he said his eyes still closed.  
“Thanks to you Magnus,” Maria said to him. He gave a disheartened shrug and quiet laugh. She rested her hand on his jaw and looked at him sweetly. “You should take a hot shower, it will make you feel better, hot water always makes you feel better.” She stood up and ran the hot water in the shower. She turned around to see him pushing himself up off the floor with great effort. He stood up and closed his eyes. She walked to him and peeled his sweater off him and then rubbed her hands on his chest. He smiled at her, his eyes still closed.  
“I wish I could enjoy this more, you taking off my clothes,” he said with the first faint smile she had seen since he came home. She put her hands under his t shrit and ran her palms along his chest to his shoulders,the shirt resting on her wrists and then lifting it over his head. He took a deep breath and moved his hands up to hers. She looked in his eyes and smiled. He wished he could tell her how much it meant to him that she was there.  
“Give me your clothes and I will wash them,” she said to him quietly.  
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered as he unbuttoned his pants and striped them off. She started the shower and watched him step in as she closed the shower curtain.  
“Call me if you need me,” and she turned to walk out of the bathroom.  
“Maria?” he said from inside the shower. He didn’t open the curtain, he stood feeling the water rush over his skin, his eyes closed.  
“Yes, Magnus?” she stopped and turned around, his clothes draped over her arm, her hand on the door handle.  
“I love you,” he announced in her direction, through the closed shower curtain.  
“And I love you,” she replied, smiling at him even though he couldn’t see her. She closed the door and went to grab his soiled coat off the kitchen floor and throw them in the wash.  
He leaned against the shower wall, his head resting on his arms. It wasn’t as if he never fired a gun before, it wasn’t as if he had never seen a person threatened with a gun. It was because it was Linda, it was because he saw her looking in her father’s eyes. It was because Kurt was paralyzed, unable to do anything but plead for her life, offer his own in exchange. It was because that person had killed Kalle and he wasn’t there to save him. Magnus shook his head and leaned back in the shower, feeling the hot water wet his hair. He wondered how long he was going to be seeing it in his mind, how long he was going to be reliving it. He thought of Maria, probably in the kitchen, making some tea, doing his laundry. When he thought of Maria, it went away. He couldn’t see his face, he couldn’t hear Kurt’s voice or Linda quiet sobs. He thought of Maria as he closed his eyes and washed himself.

 

In the kitchen Maria called Ann-Britt.  
“I’ve got him, he’s ok,” Maria said to her on the phone.  
“Good, that’s good,” Ann-Britt responded. “He will have to make a report.”  
“He should be in tomorrow, I would imagine. How is Linda, and Kurt? Have you heard?” she asked hoping they were alright.  
“I think they are fine, I mean, as best as can be expected. Do you need anything Maria?”  
“No, we will be fine. Thank you though,” Maria said with a smile.  
“Take care of him. Tell him we’ll see him tomorrow, and thank you for calling in.” Ann-Britt said as she rung off.

 

He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, a thick white towel wrapped around his waist. He cleaned off the mirror so that he could see his reflection. He brushed his teeth for a full five minutes, rinsing his mouth and putting more toothpaste on the toothbrush several times. He was trying to get the horrible taste out of his mouth. He rinsed with mouthwash and finally he felt more like himself. He heard her knock quietly on the bathroom door. “Yes?” he answered.  
“Are you alright?” she asked, opening the door just a crack. He turned to look at the door and he put his hand out for her to come to him. She squeezed in through the door and came up behind him. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, clasping them on his stomach, resting her head on his damp back. He laughed slightly and rested his hand on hers on his stomach.  
“I’m better. You were right, I needed a shower,” he said as he turned around and sat back on the sink so he was closer to her height, pulling her to stand in between his legs.  
“I called the station. Kurt and Linda are ok. Everyone was worried about you,” she told him as he held onto her hands. “I’m afraid to tell you, you have paperwork to do tomorrow,” she said with a smile. He laughed and pulled her into him.  
“I’ll take the paperwork as opposed to another day like today,” he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her. She held his face as he kissed her. He heard her moan into him as he moved his hands up her back and held her neck. “You make it better, thank you,” he whispered.  
“I really haven’t done anything Magnus, nothing that you wouldn’t do for me,” she said as she looked at him. “I made some tea, I thought it might settle your stomach,” she said as he laughed silently to himself. “What? What did I say?”  
“I knew you would make me some tea, I thought about it in the shower,” he chuckled and looked at her from under his brow.  
“Am I that predictable? Oh dear,” she giggled as he wrapped his arms around her and she ran her fingers through his wet curls.  
“Yes, you are, in the best possible way. I think I should go lay down and have tea later though, will you come with me?” he said kissing her neck, breathing on her softly scented skin.  
“Of course,” she answered with a shy smile. He reached down and put his hands under her bottom and lifted her, her arms holding onto his neck, her legs wrapping around his waist. She was above him as he walked down the hall with her to their bedroom, her hands in his hair. He lifted his face so that he could kiss her before he laid her down on the soft bed. He needed her to take him away, he needed to feel her all around him. She was happy to comply.


End file.
